1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cleaning device which combines a scrubbing member with a handle and a reservoir for holding cleaning or disinfectant solution. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for dispensing such solution at or near to the scrubber in a controlled manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cleaning toilets and other bathroom and household fixtures is an inherently dirty business, not only in terms of general cleanliness, but also because these areas are typically prone to growth of bacteria and other germs. In fact, bathrooms which remain uncleaned are widely recognized as significant contributors to the spread of disease. Typically, cleaning products for bathroom and other household fixtures are applied to fixture surfaces and then a brush or other medium is used to scrub the fixture and surrounding areas. Humans continue to clean toilets and other bathroom fixtures with only a common brush and separately contained and dispensed soap or disinfectant. Additionally, these separately contained disinfectants often use enviromnentally challenging aerosol sprays.
Hand held devices which couple a scrubbing surface with a dispensing reservoir have been proposed, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 1,099,209 to Segal et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,509,568 to Lachapelle; U.S. Pat. No. 2,726,417 to Rowser et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,920,333 to Montague et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,751 to Ross; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,340 to Rothweiler et al. While these types of devices offer some help for certain household cleaning chores, they are either inadequate for cleaning jobs which require significant release of soap or fluid due to undeveloped sealing mechanics, or they have limited ability to release continuous streams of soap or disinfectant.
For example, many of these prior devices employ a xe2x80x9csqueezablexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccompressiblexe2x80x9d reservoir container. Compressible mechanisms of this type have several shortcomings for use as a bathroom or other household brush. For example, they require enough compressibility to ensure sufficient pressure is developed within the reservoir to overcome a seal and deliver cleansing liquid to the brush head. Moreover, these designs require a joint between a flexible material reservoir and a rigid material holding the brush head fibers or sponge. Given the force which is often exerted on bathroom brushes during use, the compressibility of these devices makes them less durable than is desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,494 to Baijnath proposes a skin stimulating brush which includes a container for retaining liquid soap, nipple means for releasing soap and an air vent. Both the nipple means and the air vent are positioned in the bottom of the container, and are opened and closed by sliding a plate between ON and OFF positions. The air vent is usually in contact with the fluid as the fluid is being released from the container through the nipple means, thereby significantly reducing the efficacy of the air vent and making the design generally insufficient for most household cleaning chores.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,204 to Kay et al. describes a device which is not used for cleaning, but rather is a fluid dispenser which is used for releasing cosmetics such as nail polish. A fluid discharge opening and a vent opening are provided at opposite ends of the device housing. However, as this particular design is envisioned for liquids prone to drying when in contact with air, such as nail polish, the fluid discharge opening seal must permit predetermined bleeding of fluid from the housing interior space through the discharge opening so as to facilitate prevention of brush or other applicator drying during periods of nonuse. This is unnecessary for a common cleaning brush such as a toilet brush, since the bristles are not prone to drying. In fact, it is actually counterproductive for cleaning devices since a common complaint of currently available dispensing cleaning brushes is that they leak.
Other designs describe viscous solutions being dispensed to a scrubbing or wiping apparatus by means of a pump action, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,852 to Bell; U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,957 to Byriel; U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,494 to Baijnath; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,187 to Poulsen. While pumps may provide an effective delivery tool for many purposes, this high cost design makes it an inefficient alternative to the common bathroom brushes of today.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,791 to Hassan illustrates a liquid dispensing brush. However, since this design contains no flow control mechanism, it requires that the brush head be kept higher than the reservoir while not in use, or else the liquid flows unobstructed to the brush head. This makes the design impractical for most bathroom cleaning uses since most people store their toilet bowl and other bathroom brushes standing or hanging with the brush head below the handle.
Due to the lack of a better device, the xe2x80x9coldxe2x80x9d system of having a brush with a separate container for disinfectant or cleaner is still found in widespread use. Accordingly, what is needed is an improved cleaning and disinfecting method and apparatus for bathroom, household or other use.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention overcome the problems identified above by providing a cleaning device enclosing a reservoir contained in a hollow handle for storing a cleaning solution, with a cap connected to one end of the handle and a base connected to the other end of the handle. A brush, sponge or other scrubber or cleaning surface is preferably attached to the base. A manually operated flow control mechanism opens a valve which seals at least one exit or dispensing orifice at or near the base of the reservoir, and thereby allows volume of cleaning solution to be dispensed at a reasonably fast, controlled rate of flow. In one embodiment, manually operated vacuum pressure release orifices are located at the opposite end of the reservoir from the exit orifice and are normally closed, but may be opened to minimize or eliminate any vacuum (subatmospheric pressure) in the reservoir, thereby aiding the flow of liquid from the reservoir through the exit orifice.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning device comprises a handle having a proximal end and a distal end and at least partially enclosing a reservoir therein for containing solution. A cap is removably connected to the proximal end of the handle. A base is connected to the distal end of the handle, with at least one exit orifice in the base for releasing solution from the reservoir. At least one pressure release opening is provided in the cap for regulating pressure within the reservoir. A rod having a proximal end and a distal end extends within the reservoir between the cap and the base, the rod being connected at its distal end to a sealing member. When the rod is in a first position the sealing member forms a seal with the at least one orifice, and when the rod is in a second position the sealing member is spaced apart from the at least one orifice to release solution from the reservoir. An actuator is positioned partially within the cap and extends at least partially outside of the cap. The actuator is operably connected with the proximal end of the rod such that when the actuator is depressed, the rod moves from its first position to its second position. Moreover, when the rod is in its first position a seal is formed against the at least one pressure release opening, and when the rod is in its second position, the seal is removed from the at least one pressure release opening.
In another embodiment, the cleaning device comprises an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end and having a reservoir contained therein. A cleaning surface is provided at the distal end of the elongate body. At least one pressure release opening is provided at the proximal end of the body, and at least one exit orifice is provided at the distal end of the body. A first sealing member is coupled to the at least one exit orifice, the first sealing member being moveable away from the orifice to release solution from the reservoir. A second sealing member is coupled to the at least one pressure release opening, the second sealing member being moveable away from the pressure release opening to release vacuum pressure from within the reservoir.
In another embodiment, the cleaning device comprises an body enclosing a reservoir capable of receiving and holding a liquid. A cleaning surface is provided adjacent one end of the body. An outlet valve is provided adjacent the one end of the body adjacent the cleaning surface, the outlet valve capable of allowing the liquid to exit the reservoir. A pressure release valve is provided adjacent another end of the body for regulating pressure within the reservoir.
In another embodiment, a method of cleaning a location is provided. This method comprises providing solution in a body enclosing a reservoir, the body having a cleaning surface at least on one side thereof. An exit valve is opened at a location generally opposite the exit valve in the body adjacent the cleaning surface for releasing solution from the reservoir. A pressure release valve is also opened in the body for regulating pressure in the reservoir. The location is cleaned by applying the cleaning surface in contact with the solution released from the exit valve against the location.
The preferred embodiments described herein are able to provide a number of advantages over previously known cleaning devices, including the following:
a. The preferred embodiments provide an improved cleaning device with an improved mechanism to dispense a liquid cleaning or disinfecting solution from a reservoir within either a handle or base through a flow control mechanism to a scrubbing or wiping medium, thereby eliminating the need for the commonly used separate solution dispenser.
b. The preferred embodiments provide a cleaning device which, when used, improves the sanitary condition of the area being cleaned, such as around toilets and other bathroom fixtures.
c. The preferred embodiments provide a cleaning device that is easy to fill, convenient to use, and sanitary to store.
d. The preferred embodiments provide a cleaning device which will not deliver solution or drip without prescribed action by the user, and when so prescribed, can deliver continuous flow or controllable amounts of cleaning or disinfectant solution.
e. The preferred embodiments provide a cleaning device which will hold sufficient cleaning or disinfectant solution for at least one week of normal household use.
f. The preferred embodiments provide a cleaning device which can hold sufficient cleaning or disinfectant solution to make it practical for commercial use.
g. The preferred embodiments allow different methods to deliver controllable amounts of cleaning or disinfectant solution to the scrubber head. The preferred methods operate using a simple and cost effective mechanism to open one or more otherwise sealed orifices at the base or side of the reservoir. As only one example, an orifice can be opened by a valve which is normally held closed by a plunger with an axially mounted compression spring. When desired, the plunger can be manually depressed from one or several of a variety of remote positions on the outside of the shaft of the device, thereby causing the orifice to be opened and allowing cleaning or disinfectant solution to flow from the reservoir to the scrubber head in either continuous flow or a fixed controlled amount, depending on the valve design.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention are to provide a cleaning device that is cost effective to manufacture, simple to operate, and rugged in construction. Further objectives will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing descriptions.